Nolinor Aviation, Canada’s largest commercial charter airline, announced the purchase of multiple aircraft production slots from Natilus, a U.S. aerospace manufacturer developing a family of hyper-efficient blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft. As part of the agreement, Nolinor has purchased production slots for Natilus’ regional freight aircraft, the KONA.

The addition of KONA to its existing fleet will support Nolinor’s goal of expanding its services to remote operations in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut while reducing emissions in these ecologically sensitive areas. As global electrification drives substantial growth in mining activities across northern Canada, Nolinor is experiencing an increase in flight demand for the transportation of workers, equipment and supplies in its key service regions.

Operating amid limited road infrastructure and challenging weather conditions, Nolinor serves as a lifeline to remote regions in rural Canada, transporting essentials and equipment during the summer months. Nolinor is the world’s largest operator of the B737-200 aircraft, which are equipped to land on dirt, gravel, or ice runways.

The B737-200 allows for greater cargo capacity and requires fewer trips to transport essential cargo – making it particularly suited for deliveries to the northern regions. To maintain its competitive edge in the market, Nolinor is investing in fleet expansion and looking for new airframe designs – such as the blended-wing body – to meet its future needs.

“This partnership marks a pivotal step in our commitment to innovation and operational excellence,” said Marco Prud’Homme, President of Nolinor Aviation.

“During our visit to Natilus’ head office in San Diego last fall, we were impressed by their groundbreaking approach to aircraft design and their dedication to addressing the unique challenges of the cargo industry. The Kona’s gravel runway capability is a perfect match for our operations, and we are eager to leverage its potential to better serve our customers across Canada and beyond.”

The first to commercialise the blended-wing-body design for commercial freight operations, Natilus is developing a family of sustainable blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft designed to unlock improved aviation economics by reducing fuel consumption by 30% while increasing payload capability by 40%.

Like the B737-200, Natilus’s regional cargo aircraft, the Kona, can take off and land in challenging environments, including unpaved, shorter gravel runways typically found in northern Canada. The Kona also offers 50% lower operating costs when compared to similarly sized tube-and-wing aircraft.

“For isolated communities in northern Canada, air freight serves as a lifeline to access essential goods and services and enables connectivity to other territories,” said Aleksey Matyushev, CEO and Co-Founder of Natilus.

“As Nolinor continues to evolve its specialized air freight service for passenger and cargo transit, Natilus is committed to supporting their efforts to improve logistics efficiency and reduce the carbon emissions of their fleet operations.” Natilus is expected to begin production of Kona before the end of the decade, followed by its passenger aircraft, the Horizon, in the early 2030s.